Currying favour: 'We can't say no to pre-Ashes India tour'

Ryan Harris admits it is far from ideal that Australia will arrive home from the subcontinent more than a week after England land here before the Ashes but acknowledges: ''We can't say no to India''.

The major force in the generation of cricket revenue across the globe, India will host Australia in a Twenty20 game and then seven one-day internationals from next month. The final game of that series, in Bangalore, is on November 2, less than three weeks before the first Ashes Test starts at the Gabba.

Pressure: Ryan Harris says there is doubt in the English batting line-up. Photo: Reuters

But due to the enormous power the Board of Control for Cricket in India wields in world cricket, and the financial reliance of Australia and other nations on it, he concedes there can be little arguing against the positioning of the trip to the subcontinent on the calendar despite the lack of prestige attached to it.

''It's a bit strange and not ideal but that's the calendar and we've got to do it. We're professional … we can't sort of say no to India,'' the Queensland fast bowler said. ''Obviously the ICC schedule games and that's what we've got to do.''

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Pending the state of his troublesome back, Michael Clarke will captain Australia in India, and the squad includes other Test players and candidates Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, James Faulkner, Phil Hughes and Mitchell Johnson.

Watson, Faulkner and Johnson will be particularly busy - they are already in India after heading there following the limited-overs series in England for duties with their T20 Champions League franchises.

Harris, speaking at the Australian Cricketers' Association golf day to support the organisation's player hardship fund at NSW Golf Club, is confident the schedule will not jeopardise Ashes preparations.

''I think there are two Shield games they may get before the first Test so it's not as if they are coming off nothing,'' he said. ''They will cope OK.''

Harris, who will be 34 by the time the return Ashes series starts, also agreed with coach Darren Lehmann's claims on Monday that Australia's bowlers had, despite not winning a Test in enemy territory, worked out and identified vulnerabilities in Alastair Cook's batting order.

''I think we did,'' said Harris, who was outstanding with 24 wickets in four matches in England at a sub-20 average. ''There is obviously a bit of doubt there, which is good because it obviously keeps them unsettled and obviously keeps a bit of doubt in their camp. We put pressure on them and I think that's why they cracked.''

England, meanwhile, expect Australia to try to unsettle them verbally again after a series of shouting matches and sledging between opposition players, says Stuart Broad.

''I think you could pick up from the cameras that there was a lot of talk on the field. The relationship between the teams isn't exactly great. I think there'll be some leftovers,'' Broad told The Times newspaper, adding that there had been little interaction between teams after the fifth and final Test at the Oval last month.

''Normally when you get together, the bowlers go off for a chat with their opposite numbers and the batsmen do the same. But with these series so close together, it was weird because there was none of that.

''It was a case of 'I'm not giving anything of myself to you here, because I'm going to see you in eight weeks'.''